Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok has said he is open to meeting people from any country, including the United States and other Western nations, to explain Hong Kong's rule of law, following the US Treasury's removal of sanctions on nine mainland and Hong Kong officials in July, including Lam himself.
Lam said Hong Kong is an international city and it is right to help overseas audiences better understand the city and engage with people holding different views. "Just like friends, we may see things differently — we might argue over where to travel or which restaurant to go to — but there is still much we can sit down and work on together," he said.
He said Hong Kong has sincerity in communicating with all sides and addressing concerns, which is useful for consolidating confidence in the city's rule of law. He added that he would not resist meeting people from the US or other Western countries if time permits.
Asked whether he is interested in a "higher position" with less than a year left in the current government's term, Lam declined to respond, joking: "I'm already quite old. I'm this tall and that's it — I see things from this height!"
On the government's acquisition of ownership at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Lam said 99.3 per cent of owners have accepted the terms, with more than 88 per cent having signed sale and purchase agreements as of Tuesday. He said the Department of Justice provides legal advice whenever departments seek it, but had nothing to announce at this stage, citing lawyer-client confidentiality.
